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About POGO's Federal Contractor Misconduct Database (FCMD)
The government awards contracts to companies with histories of misconduct such as contract fraud and environmental, ethics, and labor violations. In the absence of a centralized federal database listing instances of misconduct, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is providing such data. We believe that it will lead to improved contracting decisions and public access to information about how the government spends hundreds of billions of taxpayer money each year on goods and services. Report an instance of misconduct »
Merck & Co., Inc.
Nationwide Vioxx Settlement
Date: 11/09/2007 (Date of Settlement)
Misconduct Type: Health
Enforcement Agency: Non-Governmental
Contracting Party: None
Court Type: Civil
Amount: $4,850,000,000
Disposition: Settlement
Synopsis: In November 2007, Merck & Co. agreed to pay $4.85 billion to end thousands of federal and state personal injury lawsuits claiming injuries and deaths caused by Merck’s prescription pain medication Vioxx. Merck pulled Vioxx from the market in September 2004 after its own research showed the drug increased the risk of heart attack and stroke. Under the agreement, Merck does not admit causation or fault.
